The Lowdown: (RV) Mid-America Christian University @ No. 3 Oklahoma City University
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Abe Lemons Arena, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Live Video, Audio and Stats:
The Dish on the Lady Evangels: The Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels lost their third straight game with an 84-76 setback to the Southwestern Christian University Lady Eagles last night (Jan. 16) inside the Gaulke Activity Center. The game featured 16 ties and 10 lead changes, but the Lady Eagles made a decisive 11-0 run late in the second half to pull away for the win.
The Lady Evangels are now 10-6 overall and tied for fifth in the Sooner Athletic Conference with a 4-3 league mark.
Ashlee Ferguson is leading the Lady Evangels with 13.8 points per game, while Adaugo Osuala is scoring 11.4 ppg and is tied for the team-lead with 32 assists on the season despite missing the past five games. Alliyah Spatafora has also recorded 32 assists this year. Lauren McKinney is scoring 11.1 ppg and leads the Lady Evangels with 8.9 rebounds per game. Cheyenne Been is also averaging double-figure scoring at 10.6 ppg.
As a team, the Lady Evangels rank eighth in the NAIA in threes made (134) and ninth in threes per game (8.4).
The Dish on the Stars: The No. 3-ranked Oklahoma City University Stars are coming off a tough 85-79 loss at No. 6-ranked Oklahoma Baptist University last night. The Stars led by 16 at the break but were outscored 56-34 in the second half. The defeat snapped a five-game winning streak for OCU and dropped them to 9-2 overall and 6-1 in the SAC.
Y'vonte Neal leads the Stars with 16.1 ppg, followed by Autumn Lau at 15.4 ppg and a team-leading 9.3 rebounds a game. Kayla MacKenzie leads OCU with 49 assists on the season.
The Series: The Lady Evangels have dropped all 12 meetings with OCU since joining the NAIA.
The Coaches:
Marcus Moeller is in his first season as the head women's basketball coach after serving as assistant coach for the past two years. He has also served as the Assistant Athletic Director at MACU for the past year. Moeller has gotten off to a good start, guiding the Lady Evangels to an eight-game winning streak earlier this season, their longest since joining the NAIA.
Prior to arriving at MACU, Moeller after served three years as an assistant coach at Missouri Southern State University under the tutorship of head coach Maryann Mitts. In those three seasons, Moeller helped MSSU compile an overall combined record of 51-33 and qualify for three MIAA conference tournaments.
He assisted in all areas of the MSSU program including recruiting, scouting, practice and gameday preparations, and academic success.
Before coaching at MSSU, Moeller had a successful playing career at Ozark Christian College in Joplin where he played in all 147 games over a four-year span. Moeller, a two-year captain, averaged eight points and five assists while helping lead the Ambassadors to a 24-16 record his senior season.
Moeller earned a three-year Associate's degree in Christian Education from Ozark Christian College in 2008 and a BS in General Studies from Missouri Southern in 2010.
Latricia Trammell is in her second season as head coach of the Oklahoma City University Stars. Trammell was named SAC Coach of the Year in her first year after guiding OCU to a 28-4 overall record and a perfect 16-0 conference mark. Before arriving at OCU, Trammell was the head coach at Western State (Colo.) for five seasons.
Up Next: The Lady Evangels will play at another ranked opponent in No. 19-ranked John Brown University next Thursday night (Jan. 23) at 6 p.m. in Siloam Springs, Ark.
